With the summer half term just around the corner schools across Sutton Coldfield are preparing for their traditional end of year fayres.

Expect plenty of opportunity to support your local school through June as they collect items and sell raffle tickets, look for volunteers and above all, want lots of visitors.

Wylde Green Primary School in Green Lanes are having their Summer Fayre on Saturday 29th June between 12 noon and 3pm. It’s going to be a barrel of fun with their circus theme this year and they are promising lots of stalls and entertainment for all the family and community. Admission to the fayre for adults is £1 while entrance for children is free.

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A competition is underway to name an upcoming Deaf Café within Sutton Coldfield.  Opening on 7 June, Our Place Community Hub will be launching its very first community initiative for users of British Sign Language.

While enjoying refreshments and learning more of the services and activities offered by Our Place, visitors will have the opportunity to sign with others within a friendly and relaxed environment.  Open to those of all ages, individuals who sign or lip read are encouraged to attend the fortnightly events.

Currently studying British Sign Language, Sarah Tatham, Volunteer at Our Place Community Hub explained, “we thought opening up a deaf cafe would be a good way of integrating the deaf community into Our Place and that way they can socialise and also be aware of what’s on offer”.

Highlighting the importance of the new Deaf Café, Ms Tatham mentioned, “sometimes the deaf community feel cut off from the rest of the community and feel they can only use well known deaf organisations for help and social benefits but we would like the deaf community to be part of Our Place”.  Continuing, she told, “we want people to know that Our Place welcomes people from all walks of life”.

On the search for a name for the approaching Deaf Café, Our Place is hoping individuals can unleash their creative flair and submit suggestions by Saturday 1^st June.  Not only will the winning name be permanently used, but the lucky winner will also receive two Empire cinema tickets, along with a complimentary tea and cake.

The Deaf Café will be open between 10.30am and 12.30pm on Friday 7 June and will be located at Our Place Community Hub, Farthing Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1RN.  For more information or to submit competition entries, please email enquries@ourplacecommunityhub.org, call 0121 354 4080 or visit Our Place.

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John is delighted to be back coaching cricket

Cricket enthusiast John Howard was ‘caught out’ when his car hit a large pothole while he was holidaying in Spain.

Until then a cortisone injection he received at BMI Priory Hospital in Birmingham, seemed to have sorted out the Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club playing chairman’s long-standing back problem and he was enjoying his role as batting coach with the club.

But it was a case of ‘pain stopped play’ as John struggled to even walk upright after the accident.

“As soon as I hit the pothole I thought ‘that’s it’ – I was back to the same state as before the injection. From then on things just got worse and in the end I was walking like Quasimodo,” he said.

The original cortisone injection had been carried out by consultant spinal surgeon Mushtaque Ishaque.

Now Mr Ishaque decided an operation was the only answer to 54-year-old John’s problem and released three trapped nerves by decompression, as well as shaving the damaged disc.

Just three months later John, who lives in Sutton Coldfield, was back coaching at the club as well as playing his first round of golf for nearly three years!

“It is fantastic just to be able to walk upright again. I’m back at work full time, I’m going to the gym and I’ve even lost a bit of weight. It really has made a massive difference to my life,” said John, a supplier and procurement manager with the company Serco.

But Mr Ishaque stressed that – ‘if not for the pothole’ – the injection could have kept the pain at bay for years to come. And he advised other sports people that a properly targeted injection could significantly delay the need for surgery or even make it completely unnecessary.

“The key is to properly target the area that needs the cortisone. The more localised the injection the more successful it will be,” he explained.

Mr Ishaque uses an image guidance epidurogram to ensure the needle goes into the exact position that the cortisone is needed. He also uses a light general anaesthetic so the patient is able to remain very still during the procedure.

He explained: “When I suggest an injection rather than an operation many patients are doubtful – many seem to initially prefer the surgery option. However, I tell them that with an injection one of three things will happen– they will get better, things will stay the same or it will get worse.

“Half of my patients report immediate relief, while up to 80% go on to experience full pain relief. If the patient is unfortunate then we always have the option to operate but it really worth taking the injection route first.”

As for John he is hoping for a successful season with Sutton Cricket Club as well as getting his golf handicap down to a ‘respectable’ 18.

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Two new stores have arrived in time for summer at The Mall, with health store Grape Tree and ladies fashion retailer Roman Originals both opening their doors to Sutton Coldfield shoppers.

Health Store Grape Tree has been launched by the founders of Julian Graves, with new retail stores opening across the United Kingdom. The new store, opened on Saturday 11th May, is located in South Mall opposite Argos at The Mall, sells a wide range of products, including nuts, seeds, dried fruit, snacks, confectionery and more.

Also new to The Mall is ladies fashion retailer Roman Originals who have opened next door to shoe store Clarks. The new shop stocks a huge variety of women’s fashion items including casualwear, evening wear, workwear, outerwear as well as special occasion clothing, including a comprehensive range of bespoke accessories and hats.

Fiona Faizey, Marketing Manager at The Mall, Sutton Coldfield, is thrilled with the shopping centre’s new additions. She added “We are delighted that Grape Tree and Roman Originals have set up shop with us at The Mall. We are positive that the stores will both be a big hit with local shoppers and cater to their needs for the near future.”

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by Annabal Bagdi

Local residents are invited to join the race against the clock to discover the wildlife of Sutton Park. Examining the National Nature Reserve’s surroundings, a host of local organisations will be joining next week’s BioBlitz to identify as many species as possible within just a thirty hour time frame.

Beginning on Friday 24 May, a number of experts and specialists alongside groups of local pupils, will participate in a variety of engaging activities devised to record the flora and fauna of the area. Widening knowledge of the life within the green space, the event will include reptile surveys, bug hunts, stream dips and uncovering the creatures of the night. Surveying the historical grounds, the local community will have the unique opportunity to become ‘Citizen Scientists’ before the event comes to an end the following day.

BioBlitz will begin at 10.30am on 24 May and conclude at 4.30pm on 25 May. The event meeting point for all activities is the Visitors Centre within Sutton Park. All are advised to wear suitable clothing and footwear. Further information can be found at www.bnhc.org.uk/home/bioblitz/national-bioblitz/midlands/birmingham-bioblitz.html.

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Almost three years to the day of its closure the building housing the newly renovated library and district offices will reopen this Monday, May 13.

The building was closed in May 2010 following the discovery of disturbed asbestos and a number of complications and setbacks resulted in the town centre being without this important resource for three years.

It was confirmed on Friday at a sneak preview of the finished facility that the doors will be opening again to the public on Monday morning.

(l-r) Councillors Cornish, Underwood and Waddington with Gary Ladbrooke, Service Integration Head (Sutton Coldfield) during the pre-opening tour of the building. Inset: part of the new lending library facility.

Having had a look around the building the overal impression is one of a light and colourful space that will be an asset for the people of Sutton Coldfield.

The library has been installed on the first floor and is well designed to make the best use of the space. There is also an area dedicated to the heritage of the town which includes thousands of digitalised photographs.

There is a children’s area that has lots of soft furniture and toys and an area for audio-visual loans contains quite an extensive music/video library.

A system for the automated checking in and out of books is in place and there are a good supply of PC’s with Internet which individuals can access for up to six hours per week.

Some of the PC’s available for public use in the library

The second floor houses the district offices which were previously based at the Town Hall, the Neighbourhood Office which is now known as the Customer Service Centre and the registrar offices.

Again the offices are open plan with lots of light and colour, a big change from the rather rundown space that was being used at the Town Hall. There is also office space that can be hired.

Throughout the building there are images that celebrate Sutton Coldfield and its history.

Although the library will be called the Bishop Vesey Library the council are still looking for a name for the building as a whole. Suggestions so far have included (John) Harman House and the Tudor Centre. We are still inviting suggestions from our readers which can be emailed to us at editor@suttoncoldfieldlocal.co.uk

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